Hey all just wondering what everyone does/thinks about assisted feedings? I have a little normal male that I hatched out on Aug 15. So far he has refused everything. I finally forse fed him a pinky mouse last week. Tonite I tried a live hopper mouse and he has show no interest. I can't decide if I should force another one on him or let nature take it's course. Any thoughts or experience on this would be appreciated.

I've been known to assist feed a critter or two. It really depends on what the animal means to you as if you should continue or not. If ypu decide to sell it once it gets going I would recommend that any initial feeding issues be made privvy to potential buyers as it mat revert back once shipped. It may not mean much to them but I have gotten in 3 animals over the years that were problem feeders from day 1. 1 I was told about and was preparred the other 2 I wasn't told about and found myself quite frustrated trying to get them going. The 2 I wasn't made privvy to their feeding habits have left a sour taste in my mouth towards those breeders. The one who did tell me is not only considered a friend but I have no probs dealing with him again at all because of his honesty.

I guess my question should have been have you had success with animals starting to eat on their own after assist feeding a few times? Or are they usually problem feeders from then on out.

I've had quite a bit of luck from assist feeding. About 90% do well on their own after 1 - 2 assist feedings.

Have you tried the crumpled paper trick.
I believe greg graziani shared this on reptile radio. I tried it on a reluctant baby last season and it worked great. Make sure his temps are good and put him in a 6 qt tub and fill it to the top with crumpled paper or paper towels. Leave him be for a week. Then put in a mouse hopper overnight and you will be surprised. Its worth a try and hes all the better off by not having to stress him.

http://reptileradio.net/reptileradio/picture.php?albumid=2&pictureid=5

i've had to assist a few (assuming you're talkin' about balls here ) that went on to be phenominal feeders once they got a "taste".
key is to make it as stress free as possible.
set up your f/t small to med sized mouse ahead of time in still-warm water.
have your hemostats ready and a good comfortable surface to work on.
wait 'till almost dark, use low or no light.
once you press "go" try to accomplish the whole procedure in as little time as possible (whole episode should take less than a minute, not including the swallowing). remove the critter from it's shoebox (if it's not in a shoebox that may be your problem right there) grab it behind the head, with your other hand grab the mouse behind its head with your 'stats, use the mouse's nose to pry open your python's jaws, place the mouse as far back in your snake's mouth as possible, hold it's mouth closed over the prey for a moment (helps if the teeth get hooked on the mouse), place the snake down gently, and usually it'll wrap it's prey right away, sometimes before you put it down, in which case get it off you if it's holding your finger 'cause it wont stop squeezing till all blood stops pumping, slowly move away and watch from a distance 'till it's done.
sometimes only takes one time, most i've had to do it was six times, with a new attempt following the day after a normal feeding attempt every four to five days.the three assisters that i kept are great eaters, all on f/t (another bonus, at least for me) none ever ate live.
good luck, ck

I don't attempt any type of assist feeding unless the animal hasn't had its first meal for a very long time and is obviously losing weight. If it's been a couple months and it still hasn’t eaten but its weight is holding fine then I just keep fresh water available and wait them out.

If and when it finally comes to it and I do feel that assist feeding is necessary what I'll do it just hook that first set of upper teeth with the rat pink and let the snake do the rest.

Good luck with them

Thanks guys.

It's not a husbandry issue. All temps are good. I have 11 others that i hatched at the same time and they all have had 10+ meals so far. It's only the one I'm having trouble with.

i've had to assist a few (assuming you're talkin' about balls here ) that went on to be phenominal feeders once they got a "taste".
key is to make it as stress free as possible.
set up your f/t small to med sized mouse ahead of time in still-warm water.
have your hemostats ready and a good comfortable surface to work on.
wait 'till almost dark, use low or no light.
once you press "go" try to accomplish the whole procedure in as little time as possible (whole episode should take less than a minute, not including the swallowing). remove the critter from it's shoebox (if it's not in a shoebox that may be your problem right there) grab it behind the head, with your other hand grab the mouse behind its head with your 'stats, use the mouse's nose to pry open your python's jaws, place the mouse as far back in your snake's mouth as possible, hold it's mouth closed over the prey for a moment (helps if the teeth get hooked on the mouse), place the snake down gently, and usually it'll wrap it's prey right away, sometimes before you put it down, in which case get it off you if it's holding your finger 'cause it wont stop squeezing till all blood stops pumping, slowly move away and watch from a distance 'till it's done.
sometimes only takes one time, most i've had to do it was six times, with a new attempt following the day after a normal feeding attempt every four to five days.the three assisters that i kept are great eaters, all on f/t (another bonus, at least for me) none ever ate live.
good luck, ck



yep..good advice....the trick is in hooking the teeth!

Also,they do seem to take the smallest meals down more often than not..Whereas a larger rat pinky or hopper mouse actually works against you.In that gravity gives the hatchling leverage to help them remove it from their mouth...
So don't give them the extra sized rat fuzzy.Since you're only needing to get them to learn to swallow(on their own)at this point.

Hooking the teeth is all I will do with the BP's and even then they have to have lost alot of weight before I will even do it.

Corns on the other hand I will just let nature take it's course.